Museums are extremely important to our society for the way they bring out the extraordinary (and ordinary) stories of our past, stories that define our culture.
This can be especially significant for African American history and culture which has been largely overlooked in the past.
On Thursday, Jun. 20, from 6:00-7:30 PM in the Annex, Henrietta Hankin Branch Library will share fascinating clips from Discovering 18th & Vine in Kansas City, Stories of American History and Culture, in which host Crosby Kemper (Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services) travels to two museums in Kansas City, Mo., that chronicle that community’s contributions to a pair of uniquely American pastimes: the Negro League Baseball Museum and the American Jazz Museum.
After the screening, viewers will enjoy some light refreshments and join in a discussion with a panel of guests from local museums: Christopher Miller, Executive Vice President of the African American Museum in Philadelphia; Kathryn Lynch, Collections Manager for the Museum of the American Revolution in Philadelphia; and Ellen Endslow, Director of Collections/Curator at the Chester County History Center in West Chester.
Panelists will share their impressions of the screener as well as stories from their own experiences in chronicling local African American history and culture. All of the museums that the panel represents are part of the Museum Pass Program of Chester County Library and Henrietta Hankin Branch, so participants may be inspired to go and visit some of the special exhibits discussed.
Discovering 18th & Vine in Kansas City: Stories of African American History and Culture, is part of the PBS series, Visions of America: All People, All Stories, All Places. Henrietta Hankin Branch will be hosting screeners and discussions on other episodes from this series in the fall in partnership with PBS Books.
Fans of baseball, jazz, and museums alike are sure to enjoy and gain valuable wisdom from attending this event. To register and learn more about our amazing guest panelists, visit Chester County Library or call the library at 610-344-4196. Henrietta Hankin Library supports PA Forward Civic and Social Literacy.
Learn more at Chester County Library & District Center and Henrietta Hankin Branch. The Library’s mission is to provide informational, educational, and cultural services to the residents of Chester County so that they may be lifelong learners.
